Public Holidays in the United Kingdom 2026
A list of the national public holidays in the United Kingdom for 2026, with the date and weekday for each.
Last updated:
How many public holidays are there in the United Kingdom in 2026?
There are 7 national public holidays in the United Kingdom in 2026. The exact count and individual dates can vary by state or region, because some holidays are observed only locally. Public holidays are tracked separately from paid leave entitlement: when a holiday falls on a working day, it is normally not deducted from an employee's leave balance. For workforce planning, what matters is which holidays fall on working days, since those reduce the number of available working days in the year. The table below lists the national public holidays with their date and weekday. Always confirm regional variations for the specific location you are planning for. TODO: verify regional differences.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1, 2026 | New Year's Day |
| Fri, Apr 3, 2026 | Good Friday |
| Mon, May 4, 2026 | Early May Bank Holiday |
| Mon, May 25, 2026 | Spring Bank Holiday |
| Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Christmas Day |
| Sat, Dec 26, 2026 | Boxing Day |
| Mon, Dec 28, 2026 | Substitute Bank Holiday for Boxing Day |
Source: Calendarific (national holidays), fetched and cached server-side. TODO: verify regional holidays.
Frequently asked questions
7 national public holidays. Regional holidays may add more. TODO: verify.
No. Public holidays are tracked separately from paid leave entitlement and are normally not deducted from a leave balance.